Palin: A Likely Extremist Who Abuses Power

Sarah Palin has said that she would not let her religious views " bleed over into politics," but she has done just that. Many have seen the video of Governor Sarah Palin addressing a graduation class of young missionaries. She had every right to do that. The problem was she charged the trip, plane fare and per diem, to the state. That speech cost the taxpayers of Alaska $639.50.

So far, she and her family have spent about $13,000 in state funds attending religious events, including a meeting with Reverend Franklin Graham. Some of these events included other stops, so to be fair we can trim that figure to $3022, which applies entirely to religious events. Even the Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty has raised questions.

When she was mayor, she used the prestige of her office to join a hospital board to see that abortions were not performed there. Lloyd Eggan, an Anchorage advocate of the separation of church and state, worries that her Alaska Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives had not done enough to see that its funds do not pay for ministry.

Palin has ties with three churches that are clearly part of the Dominionist New Apostolic Reformation. As Dominionists, these people are completely opposed to the separation of church and state. In 2006, Palin said that the tax code provision preventing ministers from endorsing candidates should be repealed.

Dominionists also look forward to the day when the United States will be a theocratic state. They also do not have a favorable view of other religions, particularly Roman Catholicism. Yet, the Palin administration did spend $20,000 of its $500,000 budget helping a Catholic charity.

Sarah Palin was never a member of the secessionist Alaska Independence Party, but she had close ties to it, attending some of its conventions and winning its support in 2006.The Alaska Independence Party has close ties with neo-Confederate and white supremacy groups in the lower 48 states.

Her husband ,Todd, was a member from 1995 to 2002. As we know, he has great influence with her and played a major role in Troopergate. When Max Blumenthal and David Neiwart visited Wasilla, they wee told that "Sarah Palin is far more intimately associated with the extreme right-wing fringe of Alaska than the media has acknowledged or that she is willing to acknowledge." Palin used Alaska Independence Chairman Mark Chryson and John Birch Society actrivist Steve Stoll , whom locals "Black Helicopter" to launch her local and state political careers. She attempted to reward Stoll by appointing him to her old council seat, but another council member blocked the move, fearing that Stoll would be a "violent influence."

In her first campaign for mayor, these men steered an ugly campaign of character assasination against the incumbent. Sounds familiar?

This woman has extremist connections, and probably extremist beliefs. Combine those with a tendency to abuse power, and we have a recipe for disaster.

Sarah Lied About Sudan and Much More

It is no surprise that Governor Sarah Palin lied about the State of Alaska ending its investment in Sudan. She claimed that as soon as she learned of the Dafur situation she took the lead in the divestment cause. In fac, she ignored a 2007 postcard campaign aimed at getting her to act. Save Dafur people also met with her staff in 2007. She did nothing.The fact is that the Palin Administration openly stated its opposition to divestment 2008 and prevented it from coming to a vote! This is what her deputy revenue commissioner said in a hearing:

The legislation is well-intended, and the desire to make a difference is noble, but mixing moral and political agendas at the expense of our citizens' financial security is not a good combination

The hearing minutes are on line as of this date. State Representative Les Gara said that killed the bill. He said, "I walked out of that hearing livid." The committee would not vote on divestature. The Alaska Permanent Fund still had the $22 million invested in Sudan as of a few weeks ago.

Some say she has the power as chief executive to change the investment. In the debate, she said action will be taken when the legislature reconvenes.

She lied about when she knew about the problem and about taking leadership at the outset. Perhaps she came to see Dafur as a winning political issue a little belatedly and decided she could still claim this as a political feather.

Her relationship to truth is a puzzling matter and very troubling.

She retained two clear lies in her standard stump speech long after they were disproven.
1. She boasted that she told Congress "thanks but no thanks" on the Bridge to Nowhere. The fact is Congress pulled the plug on the bridge and she then reversed her position. She had supported it.

2. She said she opposed earmarks. The fact is she zealously pursued them as mayor and is seeking them as governor.

There are other questions to be raised.

3. She said she did not use religion in her first campaign for mayor. In fact she criticized the incumbent for not going to church enough.

4. She told Wasilla employees their jobs were safe, and then she set about firing 6 department heads.

5. She told the police chief she was firing him because the NRA disliked him. Then she changed her story and said the man intimidated her.

6. The evidence is clear that she wanted to censor books in the library and that she tried to fire the chief librarian for not going along with censorship. Then she said the discussion was only hypothetical.

How can we believe anything this woman says. Can we believe her denials about Troopergate when she did so much to block the investigation?

For whatever reason, she believes it is right for her to lie whenever it accomplishes her political purpose. This is a massive character flaw and far outstrips sitting on the bnoard of an educational foundation with a man who tried to do terrible things 40 years ago. We've had enough liars in the White House to last us a long time.